APPENDIX B. XLII 
XVII.—From The Women’s Wentworth Historical Society, through 
Mrs. GEORGE E. Foster. 
This society has pleasure in reporting a most prosperous and suc- 
cessful year. The membership has largely increased; the regular and 
special meetings have been well attended and the utmost harmony has 
prevailed. With one exception it has been the best and most progressive 
year of our existence. It is with much sorrow and regret we ‘have to 
record the loss by death of our dearly loved third vice-president, Mrs. 
Alex. McKay. She was a noble womanly woman, and an active and 
invaluable member of our society from the day of its formation. 
Time is proving the value of our President’s forethought in secur- 
ing Stoney Creek Battle-field for preservation, for it has aroused an 
interest in Canadian history hitherto unknown. 
Many teachers in the public schools of Hamilton have taken their 
classes down there, and given an object lesson on the importance and 
value of the battle fought on that spot. It has led to:more study of 
Canadian history, which has been greatly aided by our excellent public 
library, which is well supplied with books on the history of Canada. The 
Wentworth County teachers held their last convention in Stoney Creek 
on March 15th, and by invitation of Mrs. Calder and the society were 
entertained during the afternoon at the battlefield. Ex-Speaker Bain 
and other prominent men were present. The teachers were much inter- 
ested in this historic spot and offered to use their influence with their 
scholars and friends to raise money towards the erection of the monu- 
ment promised by the Government to commemorate the Battle of Stoney 
Creek, when it is placed upon the site offered to the Government for that 
purpose by the Women’s Wentworth Historical Society. And the 
teachers who were present have given their pupils special instruction on 
the Battle of Stoney Creek and its influence on Canadian history and 
progress. 
The motive to learn more of the land we live in, created and fos- 
tered by the accession of this historic property, proves our right to be 
truly a historical society. The Women’s Wentworth Historical Society 
made the first movement for the erection of a memorial to the memory 
of our beloved Queen. Mrs. Calder, President, called a mass meeting 
of women on January 26th, and no such representative meeting of women 
was ever seen in our city. Mrs. Calder took the chair, and explained 
the object of the meeting, and said that although it was called under 
the auspices of the Women’s Wentworth Historical Society, she felt no 
one society should have charge of this patriotic work; that it should be 
done by the women of Hamilton. She moved that a special society be 
